BABSON PARK, Mass.– Eastern University Volleyball fell to the Centennial Conference Champion Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays in three sets in the opening round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament. The Eagles (25-7) finish the year in the NCAA Tournament for the 11th consecutive season.

How It Happened:
As it was the third meeting between the two teams this year, there were not many secrets coming into the game. The Blue Jays grabbed the advantage early with aggressive serving and never allowed the Eastern middles to get into the match. Hopkins finished with 12 aces and 13 service errors, but beyond the aces, the aggressive serves kept the Eagles from running efficient offense. The Eagles trailed 17-8 before they scored their second point on serve. Despite six kills from Caroline Shelby, Hopkins hit .342 to win the opening set 25-17.

Eastern built a 5-1 lead on Cecila Bauer's serve in the second set, but the Blue Jays erased that edge to tie the set at 6-6 and then pulled out to a 12-7 lead to force an Eastern timeout. The Eagles slowed the Hopkins run but could not get the Blue Jays out of system enough to put together much of a run. After the opening run, the Eagles scored only two points on serve in the remainder of the set.

Hopkins led 12-7 in the third before teh Eagles put together their best run of the afternoon. After a sideout on a service error, Katie Stenby started the run with three aces in a row. Sarah Roberts and Morgan Kline combined for a block to tie the set at 12-12 and Roberts put the Eagles up with a kill to force a Hopkins timeout.

The teams traded sideouts to 18-18. With Michelle Paulsen serving the Blue Jays earned a sideout on a ball that the line judge ruled landed in play. Both teams celebrated thinking they had won the point, but the point went to Hopkins and the Jays rode that momentum to five points on the serve of first-year middle Elani Panagopoulos. The final point came on a Shelby swing that caromed off Panagopoulos in the back row and landed behind the entire Eastern team in play.

The late run proved to be all Hopkins would need to advance to the second round with a 25-20 win. Hopkins will take on Bowdoin tomorrow at 2:00 pm. Eastern finishes the year with 25 wins and an 11th MAC Freedom Championship.

Coach Birtwistle Says:
"Congrats to Hopkins, they are a very good team that plays very well when they are in system and they were in system all day. When we were able to attack, we did well, but our passing did not give us the chance to get enough quality swings. When we were out of system, they were right back at us."

"I am very proud of Michelle and Sarah for what they brought to our program. Not only were they four-year starters but integral parts to our team dynamic and leadership. They grew in so many ways from when they started. That is in large part how we define success. They were a part of four championships, four NCAA Tournaments, and were a big part of our run to the Elite Eight in 2016.  We will miss their smiles but they will always remain a part of the EUVB family. "

Up Next:
Roberts and Paulsen finish their careers. Paulsen is Eastern's career leader in blocks with 563. She enjoyed her best offensive season with 273 kills and a .398 hitting percentage. Roberts, who played nearly the whole season with a heavily bandaged left hand finishes fourth on Eastern's career hitting percentage list with a .337 career number. She finishes behind Katrina Pisch (.424) and a pair of Eastern Hall of Honor inductees in Kate Adams (.385) and Lisa Sondej (.350).